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The surprisingly simple reason teams fail Tessa West

TEDTalks Business by TED

Feb 9, 202618:58Business

In 1999, a NASA mission to Mars failed ... not from a technical glitch, but because people weren't talking to each other. Psychology professor Tessa West explores how assumptions, overlooked details and "hidden languages...

About This Episode

The surprisingly simple reason teams fail Tessa West is an episode from TEDTalks Business by TED. In 1999, a NASA mission to Mars failed ... not from a technical glitch, but because people weren't talking to each other. Psychology professor...

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Episode Details

Published Feb 9, 2026, 18:58 long, audio available.

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What is The surprisingly simple reason teams fail Tessa West about?

In 1999, a NASA mission to Mars failed ... not from a technical glitch, but because people weren't talking to each other. Psychology professor Tessa West explores how assumptions, overlooked details and "hidden languages" can quietly sabotage even the smartest teams — and explores the small shifts in communication that can make a big difference in how information lands. After the talk, Modupe urges you to be brave and ask for clarification and how it can help you feel more empowered in the workplace. Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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The surprisingly simple reason teams fail Tessa West is an episode from TEDTalks Business by TED.

How long is this episode?

This episode is 18:58 long.

When was this episode published?

This episode was published on Feb 9, 2026.

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Are there related episodes from TEDTalks Business?

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Where can I listen to The surprisingly simple reason teams fail Tessa West?

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Which podcast is this episode from?

The surprisingly simple reason teams fail Tessa West is from TEDTalks Business by TED.

What are the episode details?

Published Feb 9, 2026 and 18:58 long